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Details are emerging about the lockdown situation at San Marcos High School and nearby El Camino Elementary School. According to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department, authorities are now searching the Hollister Avenue and Turnpike Road area for a “juvenile with a handgun” and, as a result, the schools remain under high alert.

In a statement to the media, the Sheriff’s Department said that the suspect is believed to have taken part in a scuffle earlier today at the Turnpike Shopping Center with several other people before fleeing the scene. The suspect is being described as a Hispanic male between 16-19 years old wearing a long white shirt and dark pants with yellow boxer undershorts; clean shaven, with medium-length buzz-cut hair. As of this time, no one has been taken into custody.

Update: 1:45 p.m.:

San Marcos families have received two robo-calls from the school explaining the continued lockdown, and the school closure which began approximately 10:15 a.m. Barbara Keyani, coordinator of Administrative Services and Communications for the Santa Barbara School District, said the lockdown will be lifted once the Sheriff’s Department determines the preventive measures are unnecessary.

Update: 3:52 p.m.:

San Marcos High School has been opened and students are returning home. Vons’ parking lot will be used for student pickup and MTD and school buses are also picking up at the usual spots.

It is reported that students, who congregated in the gym, are not allowed to return to classrooms to reclaim their materials.

Not a gun nut but still, would you rather keep it so the only ones who do have guns are the criminals? Look at the UK, guns are banned there and there's still gun crime and it's on the rise. At least in TX people can defend their homes and lives with equal force.

Here is the 2nd Amendment: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed"

People may think because "It's in the Constitution," that the 2nd amendment will always be safeguarded. For these people, I suggest they read Senator Barbara Boxer's autobiography "Strangers in The Senate."

On page 179, Boxer writes "Senator John Chafee of Rhode Island has introduced a bill to prohibit the manufacture, importation, exportation, sale, purchase, transfer, receipt, possession, or transportation of handguns or handgun ammunition; the only exception would be for law enforcement, military guards, or antique collectors and regulated handgun clubs. Senator Chafee calls his bill the 'Public Health and Safety Act,' and that's an appropriate name." For the next four pages she quotes Chafee after which Boxer writes "Waiting periods may well help and I support them, but I do believe that Senator Chafee's approach will lead to a better America." (funny how she doesn't mention this on her website)

Each gun should have a serial number and the manufactures should be responsible for what happens to that gun. Purchasers of guns should also be liable. If the guns are coming from overseas a trade embargo should be established against countries that don't take responsibility for the criminal gun manufactures.

As Chris Rock once said, keep the guns. Just make the bullets really, reaallllly expensive.

And I agree with Num1, nothing specific in 2nd Amendment about handguns. As it is, it's misinterpreted by people who are pro-gun. This was written at a different time, and was more than likely not intended for after the US was truly a "free state" and not under threat.

All I see is that for the last few years gangs are getting to out of controll and putting victims at risk. All the city says to this is we need to keep these kids busy in afterschool programs. Foundations have waisted so many funds in these non-profits that only provide activities for these kids once a week. What a waist. Other cities have gang intervention programs why don't we learn from them. We don't have the problems as bad. But if we keep waisting money and time we will.

I am 100% for gun control. I might make an exception for flintlock rifles and muzzle loading muskets. I see no need or benefit (or constitutional authority) for average Americans packing handguns and automatic weapons.

It's funny how Binky hasn't mentioned any facts about Canadian gun ownership. Strange. Their gun ownership is significantly higher per capita, and their gun-related murder rates are significantly lower. U.S. cities also parallel that fact; the cities with the strictest hand-gun laws have the highest murder rates. Tell me, do the same Fed Gov authorities that have done such a great job keeping illegal drugs off the streets also do an effective job at keeping guns away from criminals?? Don't gun laws just prevent law abiding citizens from exercising their Framer-given rights?

• There are at least 875 million combined civilian, law enforcement, and military firearms in the world today.• This is equal to roughly one gun for every seven people worldwide (without the United States, the figure drops to about one gun for every ten people).

Those figures binky found are for firearms per person, which could be skewed by big collectors and/or survivalist cults. About 75% of US households and 45% of Canadian households have at least one firearm, at least according to this site:

I just hope they catch the guy and get him off the street.And if they do, I hope the Indy looks into where and how he acquired the gun.Just curious as to where these people get firearms. In this case definitely not legally obtained, since CA doesn't allow (-21) to own handguns.I don't recall a follow-up as to what happened to the ones stolen at Far West a few months ago. If anyone does, can you please link it?

Are these gun-toting punks being taken down to the morgue to view bullet-riddled corpses any more? You know, after they've been caught, arrested, tried, released to go do it again---are they being mandatorily shown the sad fruit of their intended labors?

What happened to those programs where "at riskers" were taken on field trips to prisons to see the true consequences of unrestrained testosterone poisoning that results in life sentences from a moment of misplaced bravado?

And to the parents of these little wannabe gangbangers: You, too, should be held accountable for your inaction, your disconnection, your imbecility.

Now think about this: There is some parent out there right now who knows that their thuggy little punk son has those yellow boxers and wears them that way all the time because he thinks it looks cool. They know he's a little fear-wracked hoodlum---as do several other "friends"---but they're not saying anything.

So who is going to do the right thing and come forward?Speak up and make the call. Your son is heading toward making you miserable for the rest of your disconnected lives.

My child was on lockdown yesterday and I was terrified until I was able to get there. My child is in KINDERGARTEN! Last night we answered lots of questions. I am angry at the parents of these "gang members." It is NOT the responsibility of the school, government, jails, teachers, or police to teach your damn kids to mind their damn manners and know better. These parents just do whatever the hell they want without thinking about actually being there and raising their children properly. If you cannot or will not raise your children DO NOT HAVE THEM. If you happen to get pregnant, ADOPT THEM TO PARENTS THAT WILL BE HAPPY TO DO IT PROPERLY FOR YOU! Instead, my child went to school today with a very brave face when, as a scared 5 year old, should not have to! Our children should feel safe no matter what because ALL the parents care about ALL the children. Take repsonsibility for your own. There is no one else to do it for you, to accepted it, take it, own it and stop putting others in danger!!!! And about guns? I feel every household should be required by law to own a gun. It should be locked up and all those over 18 should be trained to know how to use it, after they pass a psych test. I bet there would be absolutely NO issue with violence, robbery or otherwise. Yes, there would be the occasional idiot, there is in every bunch. But they would be taken care of. If this offends some or all, too bad. I live in America, I am a citizen and I'm allowed to have an opinion. You don't have to agree but you have to respect me by not calling names or being rude as I have respected all of you by not calling you names or being rude after reading your comments and not agreeing with them. Keep it above board folks, act like the person is right in front of your face and you have to remain in the room after saying the things you do. The downside of the internet is the facelessness of it. It brings out horrible cruelty in some.

For the second time, this year, those of us who live in the Hollister/Turnpike area have had to put up with the ceaseless droning of Police heliocopters, for hours on end! Psychologically, this has an effect on the populace, intended or not! It also begs the question: Could the taxpayers money be better spent, in a time of economic downturn, on some other way of determining the whereabouts of a supposed fugitive? Are we already living in a totalitarian regime? All the statistics I read, in this comments section required a lot of internet searching, on the part of a few people, to support their point of view. It seems to me that they were missing the point, as did Law Enforcement, in their zeal to find one young person. There has to be a better way of dealing with this kind of situation, now doesn't there? I totally support the Law; let's find a better way of enforcing it, before civilization becomes extinct!

I change my question: Now I want to know what the per capita trend is in gatorade-related murders over the last few decades.

On a more serious note: Here we had all the usual anti-gun people going on a rant and after all that, it was a bottle! Nonetheless, we have a society where civility and control over kids is on life support. I would also add that as far as I can see, there is no proof that this incident is gang-related, but don't take my comment as downplaying the problem of gangs because gangs are clearly an exploding problem in this geographic area.

Here's the deal: If firearm-related deaths are growing per capita, that means our culture is slipping down the drain and those who want to ban guns (by the way Num1UofAn and Native1 I still have yet to hear your response to my question) are failing to strike at the root of the problem. The gang issue (assuming it's an issue here which is unlikely since it was a lone person) is yet another symptom of a society gone wrong.

Gun laws will not solve the problem, nor will throwing endless $$$ so the government can assume the role of raising kids going to solve to problem because we have been passing gun laws and increasing the scope and size of government for decades and guess what?...the problems just keep growing.

We obviously cannot avoid the individual sociopath who goes berserk nor can we ever wipe out bad behavior, but when there is so much collective fear and anger all around us, we need to look at what we were doing differently before this took over, and I think some of the bloggers in this thread have the general idea of what is going on.

Anybody can find "statistics" to back up their position on either side of a particular issue. I am not going to get into the nonsense and minutia of gun statistics but I suspect both sides are "armed" for the debate. (Pun intended)

San Marcos High School is out of control. Metal detectors for the next couple years. No baggy clothes, lame hats, or bandana's or whatever they are wearing now to make themselves look bad ass! Or they get sent home, second time, suspended, third time expelled. But will the school do it because they get their money per capita student attending class? Might make it a better place for those serious about school.

bimboteskie:How is a metal detector going to determine if a kid is packing a water bottle or not?

Also, you may wish to update your TV shows from Basic Cable reruns to the Premium Channels (or actually pay a visit to San Marcos); baggy clothes, "lame" hats and bandana's [sic] haven't been seen on local campuses for years.